1

I would like to connect to wireless-router, but my new roommates forgot the security key for it.

My roommates have been using the router for a year now, they don't want to reset it.

What is the easiest way to retrieve the security key, without resting the wireless-router.

  • Router brand: Netgear
  • Class: B
  • Router model: WGR614

4 Answers 4

4

You can use a tool like Nirsoft WirelessKeyView. This will run on Windows and recover any wireless keys it has stored.

They will be in hex format rather than the original text phrase, but you can enter them just as well into the connection settings.

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  • Sounds pretty sweet if that works as intended.
    – Scandalist
    Jul 2, 2013 at 2:08
  • This is precisely what I'd do ;p
    – Journeyman Geek
    Jul 2, 2013 at 2:12
2

Here is what i did...

I accessed one of laptops that were connected to the network.

Then went to

  1. Control Panel
  2. Network and Internet
  3. Manage Wireless Networks
  4. Right click on network (select Properties)
  5. Security tab
  6. Check "Show characters"

And the security code showed up.

this laptop had Windows 7, so this workaround might be different for other Operational Systems.

1

If the encryption type is WEP, you can easily break this with tools like Aircrack.

But really, the easiest way is to reset it. Reset it yourself while your roommate is not home and when he gets back set him up with the new key.

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  • 1999 called and wants their WEP back. :)
    – kobaltz
    Jul 2, 2013 at 2:04
  • Yeah, I've seen many modern routers still configured with WEP. Sad but true.
    – Scandalist
    Jul 2, 2013 at 2:08
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If you roommate remembers the username and password to the router's web interface, you can retrieve the settings from within there. On Netgear routers, typically the default username:password is admin:admin.

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